Symbolism The symbolization of the cult of the Sun, which is often combined with the
crescent Moon, is commonly found in a variety of contexts of Albanian folk art, including
traditional tattooing, grave art, jewellery, embroidery, and house carvings. They are symbols of celestial, light, fire and hearth worship, expressing the favor of the light within the
dualistic struggle between light and darkness in
Albanian mythology.
Edith Durham, who extensively studied Balkan traditional tattoing with fieldwork research, was able to thoroughly explain the patterns of traditional tattoos only after asking to Albanians of
Thethi–Shala for a description of all the little lines (or twigs) that accompanied a semicircle incised on an old gravestone. They answered that those twigs were "the light coming from the Moon, of course". For Albanians, the twigs or little lines were the traditional way to represent light, emanated from the Sun (Dielli) and from the Moon (
Hëna), which was often represented as a crescent. So, the patterns of Catholic tattoos in Bosnia, which until then were known as "circles, semicircles, and lines or twigs", eventually were clearly explained as compounds of rayed (emanating light) suns, moons, and crosses, from an expression of Nature-worship and hearth-worship. Furthermore, the crosses (including
swastikas) have been explained by scholars as symbols of the deified Fire –
Zjarri, and in particular of the fire god
Enji.
Solemn oaths, good omens, and curse formulas Albanians often swear solemn oaths () "by the sun" (), "by the sun who lights up the earth" (), "by the sun who makes the sky cloudy or clears it up" (), "by the sun who got tired" (), "by the face of the sun" (), "by the eye-sun" (), "by that big eye, who sees everything" (), "by the eye of the sun" (), "by the star" (), "by the ray of light" () and "by the
sunbeam" (). An expression of good omen is "be as white as the light of the sun!" (). Curse formulas include "be slaughered by the ray of the sun" () and "don't see the sun ever again" ().
Dualistic worldview, cosmic renewal Albanian beliefs, myths and legends are organized around the
dualistic struggle between
good and evil,
light and
darkness, which cyclically produces the
cosmic renewal. In Albanian tradition the Sun is referred to as "the Beauty of the Sky" (). During the ceremonial ritual of celebration of the first day of spring (Albanian: ) that marks the beginning of the period of the year when daylight prevails over night, "the Beauty of the Sky" is the human who is dressed in yellow personifying the Sun, worshiped as the
god of light and giver of life, who fades away the darkness of the world and melts the frost. To celebrate Dita e Verës
bonfires are traditionally lit by Albanians in yards everywhere, especially on high places, with the function to drive away the darkness of the winter season allowing nature's renewal and for the strengthening of the Sun. The most famous Albanian mythological representation of the dualistic struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, is the constant battle between
drangue and
kulshedra, a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the
watery and
chthonian world of death, accomplishing the
cosmic renewal of
rebirth. The legendary battle of a heroic deity associated with
thunder and weather – like drangue – who fights and slays a huge multi-headed serpent associated with water, storms, and drought – like kulshedra –
is a common motif of
Indo-European mythology. The original legend may have symbolized the
Chaoskampf, a clash between forces of order and chaos. In Albanian tradition the clash between drangue and kulshedra, light and darkness, is furthermore seen as a mythological representation of the cult of the Sun and the Moon, widely observed in
Albanian traditional tattooing. In Albanian mythology and folklore, the supremacy of the deity of the sky over that of the underworld is symbolized by the victory of celestial divine heroes against kulshedra (often described as an earthly/chthonic deity or demon). Those celestial divine heroes are often drangue (the most widespread
culture hero among Albanians), but also
E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit ("the Daughter of the Moon and the Sun") who is described as
pika e qiellit ("drop of the sky" or "lightning"), which falls everywhere from heaven on the mountains and the valleys and strikes pride and evil, or by other heroic characters marked in their bodies by the symbols of celestial objects, such as
Zjermi (lit. "the Fire"), who notably is born with the Sun on his forehead.
Fire and hearth ) symbols in
Albanian traditional tattoo patterns (19th century). The cross (also
swastika in some tattoos) is the Albanian traditional way to represent the deified Fire – Zjarri, evidently also called with the theonym
Enji. In Albanian tradition the fire worship and rituals are particularly related to the cult of the Sun. Calendar fires (Albanian:
zjarret e vitit) are associated with the cosmic cycle and the rhythms of agricultural and pastoral life. The practices associated with ritual fires among Albanians have been historically fought by the Christian clergy, without success. in circle around fire (
zjarri), drawing from the book ''
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage'' written by
Lord Byron in the early 19th century. Practiced for several hours with very short intervals, the dance gets new vigour from the words of the accompanying song that starts with a
battle cry invoking
war drums, and which is of a piece with the movement and usually changed only once or twice during the whole performance. The ritual purifying fire is traditionally used by Albanians, in particular singing and dancing around it, to gain
protection and energizing from its supernatural power. The ritual collective fires (based on the house, kinship, or neighborhood) or bonfires in yards (especially on high places) lit to celebrate the main traditional Albanian festivities before
sunrise are related to the cult of the Sun, and in particular they are practiced with the function to give strength to the Sun and to
ward off evil according to the old beliefs. A typical ritual practiced before sunrise during major traditional festivities such as
Dita e Verës (Verëza) or
Shëngjergji in the
Opojë region consists in young people performing a dance on the "way of the Sun", in the east–west direction near the burning ritual fire, with which evil spirits, demons that endanger health, purification, prosperity, blessing and the beginning of the seasons are burned. Another ritual practiced during Dita e Verës in the
Korçë region and called "Spring ritual" has been described as follows: In Albanian pagan beliefs the fire hearth () is the symbol of
fire as the offspring of the Sun. The place of the ignition of fire is traditionally built in the center of the house and of circular shape representing the Sun. Traditionally the fire of the hearth is identified with the existence of the family and it is worshiped as a deity (). Its extinguishing is regarded as a bad omen for the family. '') of a house of
Shkreli (early 19th century). On the feast of Verëza, in Opojë girls go from house to house early in the morning, and two by two they go near the fire of the hearth and stir it saying to the lady of the house:
Oj e zonja shpisë a e qite renin e flisë. Meanwhile, the lady of the house gives them two chicken eggs. In the morning of Verëza and Shëngjergji, the old lady of the house ties knots to the chain of the hearth and says an incantation formula, then she lights the fire, which with all its power burns the demons and evil. Ashes are believed to have healing properties, especially when children have been taken by the
evil eye they are washed on the ashes.
Death and burial practices When somebody dies Albanians use to say:
iu fik Dielli "the Sun went out for them". According to Albanian tradition, when a person dies, they must be positioned always facing the
sunrise: at home, in the yard, when resting on the way to the cemetery, as well as in the grave. This is a definite rule that finds continuity in archaeological material throughout the Middle Ages and Illyrian times. Another common practice consists in making a circle of small white stones outside the grave, also associated with the cult of the Sun. This tradition too finds echoes in Illyrian times, when a ring of stones was placed around the
tumulus.
Mountain tops and pilgrimages The old pagan cult of the mountain and mountain tops is widespread among Albanians. Pilgrimages to sacred mountains take place regularly during the year. This ancient practice is still preserved today, notably in
Tomorr,
Pashtrik,
Lybeten,
Gjallicë, Rumia,
Koritnik,
Shkëlzen,
Mount Krujë,
Shelbuem,
Këndrevicë,
Maja e Hekurave,
Shëndelli and many others. In Albanian folk beliefs the mountain worship is strictly related to the cult of Nature in general, and the cult of the Sun in particular. Prayers to the Sun, ritual
bonfires, and
animal sacrifices have been common practices performed by Albanians during the ritual pilgrimages on mountain tops.
Shëndelli ("Holy Sun") is an Albanian common
oronym (such as
Shëndelli in
Tepelenë, Shëndelli in
Mallakastër, Shëndelli in the
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, etc.), which has been given to mountains in association with the cult of the mountain peaks and the cult of the Sun. The "Mountains of the Sun" (
Bjeshkët e Diellit) are the places where the heroes (
Kreshnikët) operate in the
Kângë Kreshnikësh, the legendary cycle of
Albanian epic poetry.
Sunrise – healing and energizing Albanians believe that seeing the
sunrise gives energy and heals the body. For this reasons many rituals are practiced before and during sunrise, honoring this moment of the day. In the
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, a healing ritual is traditionally performed before sunrise by the mothers, who take a crown of flowers, go out into nature, look at the sky and see a bird flying. They mention the names of the ill children and other family members, and when the bird flies towards the east where the Sun rises they throw the crown up, saying three times: means "fly to the Sun"; means "take the illness" and means "give the health". So it is believed that the bird, through the Sun, will provide health to the children and other family members. means "take the precious metals (silver)" and means "give the prosperity and wealth". The rise of the Sun as a very important moment is traditionally considered decisive and honored in the ritual for the arrival of the milk of
post-partum women who had run out of breast milk: the women, accompanied by their mother-in-law or an old woman, goes near a fig tree at the time of sunrise, and the old woman facing the see shakes a fig branch saying three times:
Rainmaking and soil fertility rituals According to Albanian folk beliefs, the Sun makes the sky cloudy or clears it up. Albanians used to invoke the Sun with rainmaking and soil fertility rituals. In
rainmaking rituals from the
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, Albanians used to pray to the Sun, in particular facing Mount
Shëndelli (Mount "Holy Sun"). Children used to dress a boy with fresh branches, calling him
dordolec. A typical invocation song repeated three times during the ritual was: Afterwards, people used to say:
Do kemi shi se u nxi Shëndëlliu ("We will have rain because
Shëndëlliu went dark"). The Sun used to be also invoked when reappearing after the rain, prayed for increased production in agriculture. A documented invocation song was: Another documented invocation song was:
The all-seeing eye In Albanian tradition the Sun is referred to as an "eye". According to folk beliefs, the Sun is all-seeing, with a single glance he possesses the ability to see the entire surface of the
Earth. The Sun, referred to as "the all-seeing (big) eye" is invoked in solemn oaths (
be), and information about everything that happens on Earth is asked to the all-seeing Sun in ritual songs, such as: The Albanian oath taken "by the eye-sun", "by that big eye, who sees everything", "by the eye of the sun", "by the star", etc., is a reflection of the
Indo-European belief according to which the Sun is the eye of the Sky-God
*Di̯ḗu̯s (
Zojz in Albanian tradition).
Animal sacrifices for building Animal sacrifices for new buildings is a pagan practice widespread among Albanians. At the beginning of the construction of the new house, the foundation traditionally starts with prayers, in a 'lucky day', facing the Sun, starting after sunrise, during the growing Moon, and an animal is slaughered as a sacrifice. The practice continues with variations depending on the Albanian ethnographic area. For instance in
Opojë the sacrificed animal is placed on the foundation, with its head placed towards the east, where the Sun rises. In
Brataj the blood of the sacrificed animal is poured during the slaughter in the corner that was on the east side, where the Sun rises; in order for the house to stand and for good luck, the owner of the house throws silver or golden coins in the same corner of the house; the lady of the house throws there unwashed wool. These things are to remain buried in the foundation of the house that is being built. The relatives of the house owner throw money on the foundation of the house as well, but that money is taken by the craftsman who builds the house. In
Dibra a ram is slaughered at the foundation, and the head of the ram is placed on the foundation. In the
Lezha highlands a ram or a rooster is slaughered on the foundation and then their heads are buried there; the owners of the house throw coins as well as seeds of different plants on the foundation.
Food Some Albanian traditional food is prepared in the shape of the Sun, such as
ballokume, a
cookie originating in the city of
Elbasan in central Albania but very popular among Albanians, and
flia (meaning "
sacrifice"), a northern Albanian dish. They are traditionally prepared and eaten during
Dita e Verës or Verëza – an Albanian pagan
spring festival, celebrated by all Albanians (also officially in
Albania) for the
spring equinox. It is assumed that flia began to be prepared by Albanians for Verëza as a sacrifice to the Sun-god. ==Traditional festivals==